Meant To Be
by VelvetC
Summary: A series of drabbles about Draco and Pansy's relationship during their time at Hogwarts. Rating may change. R
1. Chapter 1

**A/N this is just something I'm attempting, it's a rough draft really, I wrote it really quickly and it may not work out, I may not continue it. Basically it's a series of drabbles about Draco and Pansy, each with a different title, taking place during their time at Hogwarts. – let me know what you think in a review :)**

**Disclaimer - I don't own Harry Potter.**

_**Meant To Be**_

**1. Introductions**

They first met when they were seven. Draco remembers the day when her father brought her to the manor to discuss business with his father and Cornelius Fudge. She hid behind her father's legs, staring wide-eyed at Draco who was reading on the hearth. He stared back and even at that age, he thought she was quite beautiful.

"Are you not going to go and say hello, Pansy?" her father had said. The little dark haired girl had shaken her head furiously, blushing and retreating further away behind him.

"Go and play, Pansy. Mr Malfoy and I have business to attend to"

Her father disappeared into the study with his, leaving the two children alone. Pansy had stood awkwardly by the door, shuffling her feet and Draco had stood up and held out his hand "my name is Draco" he said. His mother had always taught him manners, the proper way to introduce oneself.

"Pansy" she had replied in a tiny voice. She peered over to the book which lay beside the fireplace "what are you reading?"

"Beedle the Bard" Draco had said "can you read? I can read some to you if you want"

"Of course I can _read_" Pansy had said haughtily "probably much better than you" she strode over to the hearth, picked up the book and opened it "my favourite is the Fountain of Fair Fortune. What's yours?"

He had been sad when she had to leave. It was nice to have someone his own age to talk to. 

**2. Fate**

Here he was at last – the Hogwarts Express. He was looking forward to starting school – he would obviously be in Slytherin and doubtless he would receive preferential treatment, his father had told him that the name Malfoy should, and always does, demand respect from others, especially those of lower status. There were Muggleborn's everywhere – he had been able to differentiate them from the others simply by listening and watching them, hearing them enthuse about normal things like wands and owls, squealing with delight and excitement, pointing at the Hogwarts Express. His father had always said Muggleborn's shouldn't be allowed in.

He found an empty compartment, dragged his trunk inside and sat down, watching the platform disappear as the train left the station. He went to wave at his mother, but she had already left.

"Do you mind?" a girl was standing in the doorway to the compartment. She was quite tall for eleven years old, with a small, upturned nose and shiny dark hair that reached just past her shoulders. He had recognised her from somewhere, he was sure of it.

"No" he said

"I know who _you_ are of course" said the girl, pulling her trunk inside the compartment "your name is Draco Malfoy. I saw your mother on the platform"

"And you are?"

"Pansy" said the girl "Pansy Parkinson. You probably don't remember me –"

"I do!" said Draco, perhaps a little too eagerly "you came to the manor once"

"I didn't think I would see you here" said Pansy "my father said to me that your father had told him you might be going to Durmstrang" she paused, gazing at him with mild curiosity "I'm pleased you didn't"

"Me too" said Draco

**3. Trust**

"I didn't say anything to anyone!" Pansy shrieked at him "this isn't my fault! I don't even know what you're worried about; your father moved the stuff in time, before they searched the house, didn't he?"

He didn't believe her. She never thought before she spoke, always bragging about something or other…she could have easily let it slip "you must have said something!" he had yelled back "I've only told you,–"

"Oh and so it couldn't have possibly been anyone else who tipped off the Ministry, could it? It has to be me! You're meant to be my friend, Draco, you're meant to trust me!" she was almost crying "it hurts that you think I would have intentionally got your father into trouble! You don't trust me at all Draco. Think what you like. Just leave me alone!"

It was the first argument they ever had. She didn't talk to him for weeks. It was the worst few weeks Draco felt he had ever experienced.

**4. Protectiveness**

"I saw you with Zabini last night"

"What of it?"

"You seemed close"

Pansy slammed down her quill "so?"

"So I don't want you getting involved with him. He's a stuck up prat –"

"And you're not? It's got nothing to do with you who I choose to get 'involved' with, Draco"

"I'm only trying to look out for you. I've seen how he treats girls and I've seen how you act around boys…"

Pansy looked horrified. He had not meant for it to sound the way it did and he tried desperately to fix his mistake "I didn't mean it like that, Pans'. All I meant was that…that you get a bit flirty around boys sometimes and…and those are the types of girls Zabini goes for! You can do better than him –"

"Save it, Draco you're only making things worse for yourself" she leapt to her feet, clutching her books and strode purposefully towards the library doors

"I didn't mean it like that!" Draco called after her "I'm sorry, Pansy!" but she ignored his apologies "fine! Be that way! See if I care!" Why did he always say the wrong thing?

**5. Courage**

Draco had planned for days – what to say to her, how to say it. He had agonised over whether she would say yes…or whether she would say no and if she was going with that idiot Zabini – well, he didn't think he could stand it.

In Draco's mind however, this wasn't just about taking her to the Yule Ball. This meant a lot more. If she agreed, it could mean the start of something more for them, something more than a close friendship. He felt as though he had been leading up to this moment since he was eight years old, ever since he saw that shy little girl hiding behind her father.

He could fly a hundred feet into the air on a broomstick, he could duel better than anyone his age he knew, he could lie and sweet talk his way out of any difficult situation but he couldn't walk up to his best friend and ask her to a dance. It was daunting, terrifying. If she said no…what if she said no?

"Pansy" he caught up with her on the way to Potions, intentionally making sure she was alone "I want to ask you something"

"Oh?" she said, a small smile emerging on her face

"Would you like to go to the Yule Ball with me?" There. He had said it. The worst part was over.

She took her time replying and Draco knew she was doing it to irritate him "I was waiting for you to ask" she said at last "I was starting to think you'd lost your nerve. Zabini asked me, last week, you know. I wasn't sure whether to say yes or not so I told him I wasn't sure. I think he's going with Millicent now though. Oh well…"

"Look," said Draco, fed up with her infuriating mind games "if you're just going to muck me about I'll ask someone else. Do you want to come or not?"

Pansy grinned "of course"


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N Thanks for the reviews everyone. I've decided to continue this fic, at least for now. There's only two drabbles in this chapter because they're both quite long, pretty much more like oneshots than drabbles. I'm also getting a bit stuck on titles to use. If anyone has any suggestions for titles, PM me or let me know in a review. I'll give you credit for the title(s) you suggest :)**

**6. Spontaneity**

They walked together, hand in hand beside the lake. It was a beautiful clear night. The moon shone milky rays across the lake's surface; the stars glittering down upon the water and making it sparkle. 

It was after curfew, they shouldn't be out in the grounds at all – but Pansy had convinced him to go with her. She didn't care if they got caught; she was always so reckless, spontaneous, and impulsive. It was one of the many things Draco liked about her.

She had changed a lot in the past five years. Her hair was longer now – it reached almost to her waist. She had filled out a little, but was still as lithe and willowy. She said she was too short and too skinny – Draco disagreed. He thought she was perfect. Even the upturned nose that was the subject of much ridicule from the Gryffindors – he loved every part of her. 

Much had happened in the past year – their fifth year – Potter had run amok in the Ministry with his sidekicks. His father and aunt had been there and had failed the task Voldemort had given them. The Ministry knew now, they knew his father had been working for Voldemort. Everything had gone so wrong, so terribly wrong…

"My father will probably be going to Azkaban" said Draco tautly

"I know" said Pansy "He Who Must Not Be Named will punish him. Bellatrix too" she was never one to mince her words, Pansy. Always honest and frank, always said what she meant. Draco knew where he stood with her. Others might find her sometimes unsympathetic, insensitive but Draco knew that wasn't the case. He appreciated her honesty

"Your father knew what would happen if he failed to retrieve the Prophecy" Pansy went on "he was aware of the risks. Don't worry about Potter; He Who Must Not Be Named will catch up with him eventually that much is obvious"

They came to a halt by the lakeside, staring out across the dark water. The Giant Squid emerged from its depths in the distance, and sank back into the lake with a splash.

"Have you ever been skinny dipping, Draco?" said Pansy, quite unexpectedly

"No, Pansy I haven't. And I don't intend to, either"

"You're so boring! Come on, it'll be fun" she was grinning that familiar, mischievous grin

"I don't want to go skinny dipping in the lake, Pansy" Draco told her firmly

"Too bad!" she grabbed him by the shoulders and with a giggle, gave him a push. There was no way of stopping it, nothing to grab onto and before he knew it, he had landed in the water. He emerged spluttering and coughing, half amused, half incensed at Pansy's nerve

"You're in now" she said, laughing "you might as well give it a try"

Draco watched as she took off her shoes and stockings, her cloak, skirt and shirt. She stood there boldly before him in her underwear, hands on hips "is it cold?" she asked

"Yes!" said Draco, flicking water at her and making her shriek. She waded in slowly towards him, squealing at the coldness of the water and then, submerged herself completely.

Draco knew what she was going to do and he was prepared for it. She grabbed his legs and tried to pull him down but he reached into the water and took hold of her arms, pulling her back to the surface, her hair stuck to her face, her dark eyes bright and shiny, little drops of water clinging to her eyelashes. He held onto her firmly, and he was laughing with her now "what are you going to do now, Pansy?" Draco said as she squirmed and giggled. The giggles dissolved, she stopped struggling and stared right into his eyes. She smiled.

"This" she said quietly and pulling her arms from his grasp, she coiled them around his neck and kissed him for the first time. Draco knew that he would never, ever forget this moment, the moment when the whole world seemed to come to a standstill, when nothing else mattered but her, her arms around his neck, her skin next to his, just her and him, together, as it was meant to be.

**7. Regret**

"It's not working, is it?"

"No, its not"

"What are you going to do? If you fail, Draco…"

"I know Pansy! Alright, I fucking know what trouble I'll be in if this doesn't work!"

"You should never have agreed to it"

"It wasn't a question of agreeing to it or not. It is my responsibility, a task that has been given to me"

"He Who Must Not Be Named is doing this to punish your father. He knows you won't succeed"

"That's what my mother said"

"She's right"

"But I will succeed. And if I do, my family will be forgiven by He Who Must Not Be Named and the Death Eaters for what happened at the Ministry. Don't you understand, Pansy? I have to do this; I have to make this work…I have to"

"You shouldn't have got yourself caught up in all this at all. You shouldn't be the one who has to rectify your father's mistakes. It's not fair; it's not fair at all"

Draco stood up. He had been sitting on an upturned crate in front of the Vanishing Cabinet for the past hour, just staring at it wondering what on earth he was going to do. He was failing, he was failing completely and nobody could help him, not even her.

"I don't want Dumbledore dead" he said "I don't want to do this but I'm trapped. There's no getting out of this, Pansy"

"I wish we could run away" she said, her voice cracking "I wish we could just pack our things and run away from it all, somewhere where we don't have to worry about all this. Just me and you"

Draco took hold of her hand and put an arm around her shoulders "don't cry, Pans'. I don't think I'll be able to stand it. You never cry"

"Neither do you, but you have been. Don't think I don't know. You won't sit and cry in front of me and let me comfort you but you'll cry in front of a ghost in a disused girls' bathroom"

"When this is all over" Draco told her earnestly "when everything is better, we'll run away together. I promise we will. It'll just be me and you, forever"

"I wish I could believe that" said Pansy sadly "I really do. But things don't work like that, do they?" she paused and her eyes moved to Draco's left arm "lift up your sleeve"

"No"

"Do it, Draco!"

He did as she asked and saw her recoil when she saw the Dark Mark there, tattooed onto his forearm. Her lip trembled "that" she said, nodding towards it "is why we won't be together forever, Draco. Because this won't end now, things will just get worse and more complicated. You have other commitments, more important things to concern yourself about apart from me. You think this will be the last task you have to complete for He Who Must Not Be Named? You're a Death Eater, Draco"

"I regret it" he said "I never wanted this"

"Finish what you have to do, Draco" she said, getting to her feet "but please, for me, be careful"

He watched her go, leave the Room of Hidden Things, leaving him alone with nothing but a heavy feeling of misery and regret and the broken Vanishing Cabinet, an object which was both the cause of and the solution to his problems.


End file.
